American Missions Against Munda
December 2, 1942
(Army Forces in South Pacific Area) American bombers based at Henderson Field, Guadalcanal begin almost daily
attacks on Munda Point, New Georgia to prevent the Japanese from constructing
an airfield there.
December 6, 1942
(Army Forces in South Pacific Area) P-39s strafing Munda on New Georgia Island discover trucks,
steam rollers and other construction equipment, and evidence of two airfields
under construction. B-17s
will bomb Munda 21 times in December and continue to hit it in Jan 43, as the
Japanese continue to work at building the strips despite the constant air strikes.
December 9, 1942
(Army Forces in South Pacific Area) RNZAF 3 Squadron Hudsons and American B-17s bomb the airfield at Munda,
No aircraft are lost.
December 11, 1942
(13th AF) B-17s bomb the airfield at Munda, New Georgia Island with
no losses.
December 12, 1942
(13th AF) B-17s begin a series of daily attacks on the Japanese airfields nearing
completion at Munda
December 16, 1942
(13th AF) B-17s of the 5th Bombardment Group (Heavy) attack the airstrip at Munda,
New Georgia Island. They are met by 16 Zekes; the B-17s claim four Zekes
with the loss of one B-17.
December 19, 1942
(13th AF) B-17s, escorted by P-38s, hit the airfield at Munda, New Georgia. They are
attacked by 20 Zekes; the Americans claim three Zekes with no American losses.
December 24, 1942
(USN & 13th AF) Nine SBDs, nine P-39s, four P-38s and four F4Fs attack the airstrip at Munda,
New Georgia Island.; they are met by 14 Zekes. The Americans claim 14 Zekes
shot down, seven by two F4F pilots while four P-39s pilots of the 12th Fighter
Squadron, 15th Fighter Group get five and a P-38 pilot of the 70th Fighter
Squadron, 347th Fighter Group got one. The SBDs destroyed ten Zekes on the
ground as they were taking off. There are no US losses.
December 31, 1942
(13th AF) B-26s of the 69th Bombardment Squadron (Medium), 38th Bombardment
Group (Medium), escorted by P-38s and P-39s, attack the airfield at Munda.
January 3, 1943
(USAAF) B-26s bomb Munda Airfield. Lost is B-26 "Queenie" 41-17586 crew later rescued.
January 4/5, 1943
(USN) Night shore bombardment of Munda
January 10, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s attack Munda,
with the loss of one aircraft.
January 11, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s and P-39s hit Munda
January 15, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) SBDs with F4F and P-39 escort bomb a cargo ship off Munda;
they are met by 12 Zekes; seven are shot down with the loss of one US fighter.
January 16, 1943
(13th AF) Munda is bombed
January 19, 1943
(13th AF) B-17s, escorted by P-38s and P-40s, bomb the runway and revetments at Munda
January 21, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s and P-39s pound a bivouac and other targets at Munda
January 27, 1943
(13th AF) Six B-26s and eight P-39s attack the airfield at Munda
January 29, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s and P-39s hit Munda Airfield
January 30, 1943
(13th AF) AA positions and the airfield area at Munda are pounded by B-17s, B-26s, P-39s and P-40s
January 31, 1943
(13th AF) P-39s, P-38s and P-40s, and other Allied fighters, carry out
sweeps over Munda
February 2, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s,
P-38s and P-39s attack Munda Airfield
February 3, 1943
(USN, USMC, 13th AF) P-39s, P-38s and P-40s, along with Navy and Marine aircraft,
attack Munda Airfield
February 4, 1943
(USN) Navy aircraft hit Munda Airfield on New Georgia
February 8, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) P-38s and Navy aircraft bomb Munda Airfield
February 9, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) P-38s
join Navy aircraft in attacking
February 10, 1943
(USN, 13th AF) P-38s and Navy aircraft attack Munda Airfield
February 11, 1943
(13th AF) B-26s, P-38s and P-39s bomb the airfields at Munda
February 12, 1943
(USN, 13th AF) P-38s, along with Navy aircraft, attack the Munda area, hitting AA B-26s and P-39s follow with a strike on the Munda Airfield
February 14, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) P-39s
and Navy aircraft bomb and strafe Munda Airfield and hit
AA positions and other targets at Munda Point.
February 17, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) P-39s join Navy fighters and dive bombers in a strike against Munda Airfield
February 18, 1943
(13th AF) B-24s pound the airfield at Munda
February 20, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) During the night
of 19/20 Feb and day strikes, P-39s and Navy aircraft attack the Munda area, hitting the airfield and nearby Lambeti and Munda Point.
March 2, 1943
(13th AF) P-40s, P-38s and a single PB4Y fly photographic reconnaissance over Munda Airfield.
March 7, 1943
(13th AF) Eight B-24s bomb Munda.
March 8, 1943
(13th AF) Light B-24 strike on Munda.
March 9, 1943
(13th AF) B-24s bomb the airfields at Munda
March 12, 1943
(13th AF) Light B-24 strike on Munda.
March 13, 1943
(13th AF) Light B-24 strike on Munda.
March 15, 1943
(13th AF) Single B-17s hit
Munda Airfield
April 13, 1943
(USN & 13th AF) P-38's and Navy aircraft bomb the airfield at Munda
May 2, 1943
B-17s hit Munda Airfield. P-38's
and P-39's join Navy aircraft in pounding the runway area at Munda.
May 6, 1943
P-40's and Navy dive bombers and fighters hit Munda Airfield
May 10, 1943
P-38's join Navy and Marine aircraft in a strike against gun emplacements, runway,
and revetments at Munda Airfield.
May 14, 1943
B-24's fly early evening snooper strikes against Munda
May 28, 1943
P-38's and P-40's, along with naval aircraft, attempt a strike on the Kolombangara
area and Munda but are hampered by bad weather. Some of the Navy TBF bombers
manage to bomb the runway and revetment area at Munda
June 9, 1943
P-40's, and P-38's' pound the airfields at
Munda.
June 27, 1943
A single heavy bomber on armed reconnaissance
bombs Munda Airfield
June 30, 1943
B-25's and US Navy dive bombers bomb Munda Airfield
July 3, 1943
B-25's bomb the airfield and AA positions at Munda
July 5, 1943
B-24's over Buin fail to find shipping and
bomb Munda
July 12, 1943
(13th AF & USN) Several fighters join US Navy dive bombers in strikes on AA and bivouacs in
the Munda area
July 25, 1943
The final push on the Japanese base
at Munda opens with a bombardment by 7 destroyers and the heaviest air attack
in the South Pacific (SOPAC) Theater to date; 170+ B-24's, B-25's, B-17's,
TBF's, and SBD's, covered by 70+ fighters, pound the target thoroughly, dropping
more than 145 tons of bombs in little more than a half hour; later in the afternoon
10 more B-24's, with fighter cover, bomb Bibolo Hill, and SBD's and TBF's dive-bomb
gun positions; and later in the day, gun positions NE of Kindu Village are
hit. The 43d and 37th Infantry Divisions open the ground assault against the
firmly entrenched enemy.
July 27, 1943
8 P-38's and
70+ US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft again attack the Munda area on
New Georgia Island, hitting positions on Bibolo Hill and targets at Gurasai,
Munda Point, and Munda Airfield
July 31, 1943
17 P-40's and P-39's join 90+ US Navy and Marine Corps aircraft in pounding guns and defensive positions on Bibolo Hill as Allied ground forces close in on airfield at Munda.
August 1, 1943
P-40's and US Navy aircraft again hit Munda
bombing AA positions, ammunition dumps, and other targets
Japanese Missions Against Munda
July 2, 1943
(JAAF) 18 Ki-21 Sallys of the 14th Sentai (misidentified as Bettys) attack the newly
landed American forces on the beachheads of Munda and Rendova, without loss
and unusually
accurate results.
July 4, 1943
(JAAF)
16 Ki-21Sallys of the 14th Sentai (misidentified as
Bettys), escorted by Oscars and Zeros, attack the newly landed American forces
on the beachheads of Munda and Rendova,
they are met by heavy anti-aircraft fire and fighters, losing five bombers,
and shooting down three American fighters.
PARTIAL LIST
November 6-7, 1943
Last reported Japanese air attack against Munda Airfield during the night.
